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ENFP / ENTP Superficiality

Elfboy

Certified Sausage Smoker
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
9,625
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Personally as an ENFP I'm kinda insulted by that. ENFP's are the exact opposite of superficial. We're just naturally really goofy and know how to make people laugh (in fact, I sometimes wish I was an INTJ so I could be more serious) NF types in general are all about being real and being your true self. The types that are probably the most superficial are probably SJs, ENFPs and ENTPs are the exact opposite, we're very independent thinking and just like to do out own thing.:)
 

Snowey1210

New member
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
141
MBTI Type
ENTP
The whole ENTP/ENFP being superficial is a misconception as we always look beyond the surface of things. I know in social situations I portray that whole "goofy" persona etc. but it's only because that is what tends to work within an S dominated world. I could incessantly discuss my interest in evolutionary biology, or astronomy but I'm aware that this generally doesn't interest the other party involved, and so I adjust my behaviour accordingly. Because of my intuitive nature I find that I'm able to get a good grasp upon what type of social "mode" is expected within the current environment.

On the surface this probably appears superficial, and not being true to myself but in fact it is the exact opposite. I'm simply reading social situations and responding much in the way I would construct a new idea through cause and effect. This is the default setting of the ENTP personality, that's why it's commonly claimed that society is seen as an audience for an ENTP (not entirely true if I deeply connect with someone they do genuinely mean something to me). Thus, the whole superficial notion is irrational as whilst I am invariably fulfilling my own egotistical agenda (an act inherent in all healthy human beings) I am responding to the needs of others and incorporating this into personal interactions.

The accusation of superficiality is generally made by those who are expecting more from us than we are naturally able to give. At our core is this intuitive being, which can sometimes be mistaken for something that it is not when adapting to a social situation. This is something I can switch off, it's just part and parcel of what I am. I'm aware that to have healthy relationships I need to let go but my mind always continues to spin.

So superficial? No.

Geeze wasn't that post just a barrel full of laughs! lol
 

entropie

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
16,767
MBTI Type
entp
Enneagram
783
No that was real good stuff ! Couldnt have put it better myself.
 

Conejo Diabolico

New member
Joined
Dec 15, 2008
Messages
3
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
8
Social Fronts and Sensitivity

OOooo, here are some ideas.

1) People like ENFps more than they like ENTps. Such sympathetic, sweet, sensitive people, how could thay possibly be worse than those evil, insubordinatet shit-disturbers?
2) ENFPs also cry more. Nothing says love me more that tears - especially because they were probably caused by an evil ENTp.
3) ENTps are not honest with people that they know well, especially not about their intimate thoughts or feelings. They don't want people to know what's really going on in their lives or in their minds, so they just let most people see a shallow social mask.
4) People really don't trust ENTps
 

Lady_X

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
18,235
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
784
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
well welcome you. :D
i like entp's
 

LeonardoLestat

New member
Joined
Oct 18, 2008
Messages
131
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Ok, so ENTPs are usually accused of being somewhat superficial and haphazard in their speculations and opinions. I can understand that.

But what I can't understand is why these charges are only rarely leveled at our ENFP siblings. I know quite a few ENFPs IRL and almost all of them have this tendency to splatter inconsistant and superficial points about them yet, in the case of ENFP, people are more like "oh they're just being silly" or even from an MBTI textbook I once read: "When ENFPs try to verbalize their insights the result often comes out cluttered and imprecise".

So basically, isn't this the same behavior from ENFPs as you've seen from ENTPs only with a different motive? Why then, should there be another discourse for dealing with ENFPs?

Most superficial: ESTP and ESFJ.
But perhaps that's a projection :p

ANYWAYS

ExFP's are not superficial :) They may be flaky, but they are really warm and personal and fun, on ly thing is they can be caught up in the newest ' hip ' thing wich makes em look superficial
But theyre not :)
 

rank

New member
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
17
Depends.

Extreme ENPs often appear random and inconsistent.

When they are more balanced, I think ENFPs have better use of their shadow ISTJ. That means, they can accumulate great amounts of information with great precision - and then apply the ENFP Ne to produce something creative of it. Their worst errors are usually in final conclusions and summaries (the Fi comes along to bring idealism and utopia). However, they can be the most accurate and factual in their presentations, using the ISTJ-mode.

With ENTP - they are great on the creative side, but during the accumulation of information they just misinterpret or remember some things wrong (using ISFJ). Therefore, they cannot even realize how wrong are some of their statements during presentations. But on the long run their true and practical ENTP creativity pays off and they produce a lot of useful results (among some failures).

I would claim ENPs are the most creative of all types, in general, but also the worst to present their own ideas to the status quo. The best way for them is to just implement their theories and prove them in practice. It is difficult for them to provide conceptual proofs (nasty INTPs never trust it due to lack of intuition).
They are definately prone to errors, and the extreme peer judgement may destroy them (if they get bashed for too many fails). Still, there's usually valuable insight even in their errors.
 

substitute

New member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
4,601
MBTI Type
ENTP
If person X assumes that person Y is superficial and shallow based on the fact that they don't talk about deep and meaningful stuff out loud or to them, IMO that tells us a lot about person X's arrogance and prejudice and that person Y doesn't feel like he's got anything to prove and doesn't ramble on about his own thoughts and opinions, particularly not to arrogant, prejudiced people.
 

tenore85

New member
Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
2
Blackwater, I'm interested to hear more of your opinion about ENFPs and hopefully you may be able to help me clear up somethings for me?

I'm 24 and lived with my ENTP father and ISFP mother until a few years ago and it's been an extremely rocky road. Even after explaining MBTI to my dad he still insists that I am selfish and uncaring of other people which i do not believe to be true. Our conversations are very heavy too. So basically my question is... Do you believe ENTPs really think of ENFPs as selfish (perhaps it is just my father's opinion). And if so, why, and how can they be less selfish. (It's difficult to answer that myself because I AM an ENFP). I'm open minded so any other opinions, please feel free to comment

Thankyou
 

gigi_xo

New member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
376
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
4w3
How are ENTPs superficial?

I know a few. This is hardly the case.

and as for me being superficial? Perhaps to the extent that I am extremely concerned about my own image & appearing pretty & successful. But underneath, there's nothing shallow.

so what is this all stemming from?
 

sculpting

New member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
4,148
Blackwater, I'm interested to hear more of your opinion about ENFPs and hopefully you may be able to help me clear up somethings for me?

I'm 24 and lived with my ENTP father and ISFP mother until a few years ago and it's been an extremely rocky road. Even after explaining MBTI to my dad he still insists that I am selfish and uncaring of other people which i do not believe to be true. Our conversations are very heavy too. So basically my question is... Do you believe ENTPs really think of ENFPs as selfish (perhaps it is just my father's opinion). And if so, why, and how can they be less selfish. (It's difficult to answer that myself because I AM an ENFP). I'm open minded so any other opinions, please feel free to comment

Thankyou


He may be referring to diffs in your behavior based upon Fi/Fe. How you care for people will be very different on the surface. Both can be very loving, but an Fe user (such as an ENTP user) and Fi user (such as an ENFP) will often use very different ways to show emotion. A very common claim from Fe users-espcially ENTPs-is that ENFPs appear selfish and self centered on the surface due to how we use Fi.

There is some truth in this claim, however there is also some perceptional differences and diffs in expectations as well.
 

goodgrief

New member
Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
480
MBTI Type
INTJ
How are ENTPs superficial?

I know a few. This is hardly the case.

and as for me being superficial? Perhaps to the extent that I am extremely concerned about my own image & appearing pretty & successful. But underneath, there's nothing shallow.

so what is this all stemming from?

If that profile pic is actually you I can say you've been quite successful.
 

jenocyde

half mystic, half skeksis
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
6,387
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Blackwater, I'm interested to hear more of your opinion about ENFPs and hopefully you may be able to help me clear up somethings for me?

I'm 24 and lived with my ENTP father and ISFP mother until a few years ago and it's been an extremely rocky road. Even after explaining MBTI to my dad he still insists that I am selfish and uncaring of other people which i do not believe to be true. Our conversations are very heavy too. So basically my question is... Do you believe ENTPs really think of ENFPs as selfish (perhaps it is just my father's opinion). And if so, why, and how can they be less selfish. (It's difficult to answer that myself because I AM an ENFP). I'm open minded so any other opinions, please feel free to comment

Thankyou

Don't fret - it's probably just a big misunderstanding. Until I really learned about ENFPs, I kind of felt the same way. I have used this example before, but I'll say it again:

If something really tragic happened to me and I mentioned it to my ENFP friend, I'd usually get a long drawn out emo dump about how she just couldn't sleep because she was up *all* night worrying about me, and that she feels SO bad for me and this is just killing her inside. She would go on and on about how my situation is affecting her. I guess she would do that to show solidarity with me or something.

But I would hear this as "This happened to you, Jeno, but look how affected *I* am over this incident - pay attention to meeeeee and make me feel better. My Fi is so strong that I feel your pain, probably even more than you do. Comfort me!!!!"

We used to have a lot of discussions over her "selfishness". She's learned to cut down on the dramatics and start offering up real solutions. And I've learned to ignore 50% of what she says and just confide in her less.
 

digesthisickness

✿ڿڰۣஇღ♥ wut ♥ღஇڿڰۣ✿
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
3,248
MBTI Type
ENTP
Don't fret - it's probably just a big misunderstanding. Until I really learned about ENFPs, I kind of felt the same way. I have used this example before, but I'll say it again:

If something really tragic happened to me and I mentioned it to my ENFP friend, I'd usually get a long drawn out emo dump about how she just couldn't sleep because she was up *all* night worrying about me, and that she feels SO bad for me and this is just killing her inside. She would go on and on about how my situation is affecting her. I guess she would do that to show solidarity with me or something.

But I would hear this as "This happened to you, Jeno, but look how affected *I* am over this incident - pay attention to meeeeee and make me feel better. My Fi is so strong that I feel your pain, probably even more than you do. Comfort me!!!!"

We used to have a lot of discussions over her "selfishness". She's learned to cut down on the dramatics and start offering up real solutions. And I've learned to ignore 50% of what she says and just confide in her less.

+1

explained very well.
 
G

garbage

Guest
Don't fret - it's probably just a big misunderstanding. Until I really learned about ENFPs, I kind of felt the same way. I have used this example before, but I'll say it again:

If something really tragic happened to me and I mentioned it to my ENFP friend, I'd usually get a long drawn out emo dump about how she just couldn't sleep because she was up *all* night worrying about me, and that she feels SO bad for me and this is just killing her inside. She would go on and on about how my situation is affecting her. I guess she would do that to show solidarity with me or something.

This sounds pretty terrible. How could she expect that to not be perceived as a guilt trip!?

If it really is about you rather than her, she should make it sound like it's about you rather than her. It sounds like the main point she's trying to make with her language, either consciously or not, is that she can't sleep (and oh by the way, yeah your situation had something to do with it too I guess).

Or maybe that's how you're perceiving it and relaying it. Dunno. All I know is that, as you've said it here, it does sound fishy and selfish of her.

With friends like that, I suppose I'd end up telling them about my problem after I've solved it. That way, they don't have to worry about me, and I get to talk. :cheese:

That defeats half the purpose of talking to them anyway, but maybe it's better than not sharing anything with them..
 
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